Quillon Tessera 15x40 binoculars
15x magnification · 40 mm objectives · 3.5° field
$219
Catalog preview. Not available for purchase.
- Package
- Binoculars only
- Optics
- Multi-coated optics
- Armor
- Slate gray armor
- Edition
- 2025 edition
Specifications
| Magnification | 15x |
|---|---|
| Objective diameter | 40 mm |
| True field of view | 3.5° |
| Exit pupil | 2.7 mm |
| Dawes limit | 2.90 arcsec |
| Limiting magnitude | 10.0 |
| Eye relief | 16 mm |
| Close focus | 4.5 m |
| Prisms | BaK-4 roof |
| Weather sealing | Nitrogen-purged, O-ring sealed |
| Weight | 1,050 g |
| Package | Binoculars only |
| Optics | Multi-coated optics |
| Armor | Slate gray armor |
| Edition | 2025 edition |
Description
The Tessera 15x40 binoculars pair 15x magnification with a 40 mm objective, which gives an exit pupil of about 2.7 mm. At this size the view suits the Moon, bright planets, and close double stars, where fine surface detail and color contrast stand out. Fainter deep-sky objects appear smaller and dimmer than they do through larger instruments, so the 15x40 is most useful on targets that are already bright.
The 3.5-degree true field gives an apparent field of about 52 degrees, which is narrow enough that small wrist movements shift the view a short distance across the sky. Because the magnification is high, steady support matters. Brace your elbows against your chest, rest the binoculars on a fence post or car roof, or fit a standard L-shaped adapter to the central tripod socket for longer sessions. Star hopping with a narrow field works well when you sweep slowly between two bright stars and watch the field edges for faint neighbors.
The roof prisms and multi-coated lenses deliver a sharp, neutral image, and the nitrogen-purged body with O-ring seals resists internal fogging when the temperature changes. The 16 mm eye relief allows observers who wear glasses to see most of the field. The central focus wheel and right-eye diopter adjust independently, so you can set the focus for each eye after a short calibration on a distant street light.
At 1050 g, the Tessera 15x40 is heavy for long periods held by hand. Start with the Moon a few days after first quarter, and scan the terminator, where low-angle sunlight throws shadows across craters and ridges. On a later night, follow Jupiter's four Galilean moons and note how their positions change from one evening to the next. Finish with Albireo in Cygnus, and compare the gold and blue components at this magnification.
About this configuration
The Quillon Tessera 15x40 binoculars comes in several configurations, and the notes below explain what this particular combination includes. This package contains the binoculars with their strap, lens caps, and case, without any mounting hardware. Binoculars alone suit hand-held scanning of the Milky Way, bright star clusters, and the phases of the Moon. The multi-coated version suits casual scanning of the night sky as well as daytime nature viewing.
The slate gray finish makes the binoculars easier to find on a dark table than the black armor does. This is the 2025 edition, which added a firmer diopter lock so the setting holds when you pass the binoculars around. The magnification, field, and exit pupil figures in the specifications table apply to every configuration of the Tessera line.
What's in the box
- Binoculars with neck strap
- Objective and rain guard caps
- Soft carrying case
- Lens cleaning cloth
Compatibility notes
- The central tripod socket takes a standard L-shaped binocular adapter with a 1/4-20 thread.
- Fits binocular harnesses and parallelogram mounts rated for 1.2 kg binoculars.